Time's Revelations
by Sunr1se
Summary: Sequel to The Ninja and the Pirate. After a month of the mysterious reappearance of the crewless Mary Celeste the three sided 'game' is on the move again. But since there can only be two sides to this game, which side will the third one choose? For they better choose wisely for the fate of this story resides on them... (Fail. Summary fails!)
1. San

**Warning: This story is a sequel to a prior one that I have written that's called **_the Ninja and the Pirate._** You may want to read that one first before reading this one, but that's entirely up to you!**

The people murmured as the person walked past them. Compared to what they themselves were wearing this foreigner was wearing clothes made out of the finest silk. The clothes themselves have not lost their beauty despite how worn they look. The person simply walked past them all, ignoring their murmurings as he looked around searching for something or someone that could help him get to his destination.

The person was tired. After travelling on water for around a month, hopping from island to island, he had landed on some territory that he had never seen before. After finding the correct route to take he began walking wondering when he was going to find a village, town, or city. He had been walking for three days now and he finally found a village. He was weary of all the murmurings that were going on around him but he pretended not to notice them as he looked around for anyone that might own a horse.

"Excuse me, sir. But I wish to buy your finest horse." The man turned around and looked at the person that had come up to him.

"What makes you think I am going to sell my finest horse to someone like you?"

"Please, sir. I need to get to the Imperial Palace immediately. I have some urgent news to tell the emperor." As he spoke the person took out a small pouch and took out a small handful of gold coins.

"Of course, of course. I'll be right back." The person gave a small sigh of relief, unnoticed by all the people that had gathered around to see the outcome. Now they were murmuring again, once more asking themselves who the person was that they had that many gold coins in their possession.

"Here she is, quite a beauty isn't she?" the person looked up as the man came back leading a chestnut mare over to him.

"Thank you." He said as he handed the coins over. Then he reached up and petted the mare all the while talking to her.

"Excuse me to ask of you, but may I know of what importance you are to the emperor?" the person glanced towards the crowd and spotted the woman that had spoken.

"Of course." He said as he reached into his clothes and pulled out an amulet that they all recognized. Many of them gasped and quickly bowed.

"Your Highness! You must be one of the emperor's siblings!"

"Please Your Highness forgive our rudeness." A man spoke as he stepped forward. "I'm the leader of this village. Since you look weary from your travel's would you like to spend the night here and continue on your journey in the morning? We can also give you food for the remaining of your trip."

"Of course, and I will make sure my brother hears of the kindness this village has provided. I am sure he will want to compensate you for your help." He said as he put the amulet back and grabbed the mare's halter as he followed the village leader.

**APH**

"Are you sure we cannot be of any help?" the person turned and stared at his friends as he descended from the ship.

"No. I don't need your help. You have helped me enough and I don't wish to burden you with any more of my problems."

"Burden us? Why would you be a burden to us? We are your friends and as your friends we are telling you that we are helping!"

"You five are pretty stubborn."

"But why won't you let both of us come? We can help you since we are family!"

"No. I need to do this alone. This mission is risky already with one person and it will be too risky with six people going."

"But why do we need to come over here for anyway?"

"I need to see who is still in the area and who was moved elsewhere. I also need to see where they are keeping my belongings. Plus you five know that I am also searching for two people that seem to be the key to everything."

"And what if they are not here? You know as well as we that they have the tendency of travelling a lot."

"This is the reason why I am going to ask someone in case that I don't find them anywhere."

"But that's too risky! What is the person turns you in?"

"Simple. I kidnap them before they can tell anyone where I am and then they can freely tell us any information we want."

"Won't that just arise anymore suspicion?"

"It doesn't matter now, does it? Besides I have already made up my mind and none of you are going to change it. You guys stay here and keep hidden. I'll try to come back in a day or two." And with those final words he quickly pulled the cloak tighter around himself and finished getting down the plank before sneaking off into the crowd. The five that had stayed behind just stared after him until he vanished from view.

"He's an idiot."

"As if we didn't know that. So what are we going to do? Just stand around and do nothing?"

"No. Two of us have to stay and make sure the ship is restocked. Another is to go and see what information they can get out of the people in the area. And the last two are to go after the idiot and make sure he doesn't get caught."

"I'm staying."

"So am I."

"I can go do the spy work."

"That means the two of us are going after him."

"Alright! Let's go then!"

"Try to come back by tomorrow!"

"We will!"

**APH**

"Keep searching he couldn't have gone far!" The men continued on their search as their captain continued barking orders at them as they continued on the intense search.

"Any luck yet?" The captain asked as one of his men walked over to him.

"No sir. We still haven't had much luck."

"That bastard is going to pay for what he did." The man nodded as he stared at the injuries that the escapee had given the master. Despite the fact that their captain wore an eye patch to begin with it was not necessary for their captain could see from both eyes. But now the eye patch covered the spot where the right eye once used to be. A long gash was partially covered by the eye patch. The gash went from the forehead down past the right eye to half-way down the right cheek. A bandage was around their captain's neck from where the escapee had tried to decapitate him.

"Keep searching you ungrateful dogs! We cannot let him get away!" The captain roared as he followed his men. None of them were aware of the silent figure watching them from the shadows of some nearby trees. The person quietly watched them with expressionless eyes as they continued to look for him. Then he quietly ran off before they reached his hiding place. Almost immediately he heard them pursuing him again as he ran across the forest.

He was easily outrunning them and after a while he could no longer hear them. but he dared not slow down for he had no idea if they were faking that he had left them behind. Eventually though he had to stop in order to catch his breath. Choosing a new hiding spot, this time up in the treetops, he watched as after a while they appeared again. Amused he watched as the captain began yelling at his men in order to make them speed up the search.

After a while they continued on their way, but he didn't move from his location. After making sure they were really gone he carefully lowered himself back onto the ground and took off in the opposite direction in which they had gone. Then he veered to the left as he continued running hoping that he had truly left them behind.

After a while he heard the sound of a river. Once he reached it he drank until his thirst was satisfied before standing up, using the sleeve of the shirt he wore to dry his face. Then he walked a bit before sitting down on a large rock and began to check that he still had everything with him. Satisfied that all his weapons were still there, he pulled out an amulet that he had almost cut off the bastard's neck. He had missed and had hit the pirate instead. Using the wound to his advantage he had once more taken back what belonged to someone he hadn't seen in a month before making his long anticipated escape.

He knew the person was not going to stop until they had him back under his power, and that was something that he was determined to make sure never happened again. He had to find his treasure for he had returned it to its rightful owner before he had been captured along with the others. Now he was alone, unsure of what fate had befallen his companions.

He looked up at the starry sky and searched for the constellations that would point him home. Smiling, he stood up and made his way across the river before continuing his expedition to the east…

**Author's Note:**

And here's the first chapter of the sequel to _the Ninja and the Pirate_!

Hope this chapter wasn't very confusing, and in my opinion I am still not very good at explaining appearances. *gloom*

Anyway hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! And let's see if you can guess which section goes with what character!


	2. the Traveler

"Your Imperial Highness!"

"Yes, what is it?" Yao asked as he looked from a map he and Kaoru had been studying.

"I have come to inform you that the _Tenshi_ has been fully stocked and she is ready to set out when you order it."

"Good tell my crew to make sure everything is there for we are leaving tomorrow."

"Of course." The person quickly bowed and left in order to hand out the orders to Ling and the others.

"Are you sure you don't want me to accompany you Sensei?" Kaoru asked as he looked up at Yao who was concentrating on the map of the sea.

"I am certain of it, Kaoru. I need you to stay here and keep things running while I am gone." Before Kaoru could reply they both could hear commotion happening in the courtyard outside the palace. Both of them looked at each other before standing up to see what they commotion was about.

"What's going on here?" Yao demanded as he and Kaoru stepped into the courtyard.

"Nii-sama! I have returned!" Yao and Kaoru stared in surprise at the person mounted on top of a chestnut mare. The person was smiling at them as he lowered himself from the mare. Both of them noticed that he looked weary and tired as if he had not had enough rest on his journey over to the palace.

"Kiseki-kun!" Kaoru exclaimed as he ran over to and hugged Peter. "Are you alright? Where's Kiku-nii? What-?"

"Kaoru!" Kaoru turned as Yao joined them. "Let's give Kiseki-kun time to recover from his journey. Then you can question him to your heart's content."

"Of course! Come Kiseki." Kaoru said as he led Peter off. Yao ordered for the mare to be taken to the stables and for someone to look after her before heading back to his maps that he had in his study.

**APH**

"Now that you are rested enough, tell me what happened?" Kaoru demanded after Yao had asked for Peter to be led to his study for the interrogation.

"I am not entirely sure. Kiku-nii was taking me to see the entire Western lands when we were unexpectedly attacked by another pirate ship."

"You were attacked? Then how did you get away?"

"Kiku-nii took me to one of the lifeboats aboard the _Mary Celeste_ and he handed me some stuff before casting me out into the sea.

"Tell me Kiseki, why did Kiku take the _Mary Celeste_?" Both Peter and Kaoru turned around and looked at Yao, who had calmly interrupted them.

"There was no other ship available, or at least that's what he said."

"'No other ship available?'" Yao calmly asked.

"If there was any other ship available at that time I am not sure."

"Was there anyone else that knew about the expedition you two were heading on?"

"No, or at least I am not sure. He _might_ have told someone, or at least he said he had."

"So you are not sure whether Kiku was telling the truth?"

"At that time yes, right now… no."

"And why are you not sure."

"Because you are asking me a lot of questions that wouldn't have needed to be asked if he had told me the truth."

"Of that you are right." Kaoru said as he looked back at Peter. "The _Mary Celeste_ wasn't the only ship available when you two disappeared, and I know for a fact that he never told either Sensei or I or anyone for that matter that you two were going somewhere. Now that I mention it… where were you two heading off to?"

"The Western Lands." Peter calmly replied. "He told me he was going to take me over there after he returned."

"Then why didn't he tell any of us?"

"I don't know…"

"So much mystery is in the air." Yao said with a sigh as he stood up, walked over to them, and hugged Peter. "But I am so glad the sea returned you to us."

"Kaoru-san told me that you found the _Mary Celeste_ with no one onboard."

"We did. The ship was in a bit of a mess, but she has been repaired."

"How come it took you so long to return?" Kaoru asked as Yao let go of Peter.

"The sea took me to an island, and I had to stay there for a while so that I could get any supplies that I needed for the trip back home. Then once I had the route using the stars I made my way over. But I miscalculated and I ended up drifting further south than what I should have. I realized that once I reached the mainland. From there I walked until I came across the village of Oita."

"You ended up that far south?" Kaoru asked in surprise.

"Yes. Anyway the people allowed me to spend the night there and they gave me the mare that I used to make the rest of the trip faster."

"I'll think of something to give them for their generosity." Yao said as he returned to his desk. "In the meantime I have to make sure everything is in order before I leave."

"You are leaving?" Peter asked as he looked at Yao.

"Yes Kiseki, I am. The _Tenshi_ has been fully stocked and I am leaving tomorrow morning."

"Can I come with you Yao-san?"

"You still need to rest from your journey."

"I can rest on the ship! Onegai Yao-san! Let me come with you!"

"You might as well sensei." Kaoru said smiling. "He is going to stalk you to the ship if you don't."

"Aiyaa! You two are against me!" Both of them started laughing as Yao shook his head at them. "Alright Kiseki you may come along with me."

"What about Kaoru-san."

"I am staying, but I shall accompany you to the port to see you off."

"Have the others left already?"

"Yes, they left weeks ago."

"You two might as well get some rest. It is a long journey to the ports."

"Hai!"

"You might as well get some sleep as well sensei." Kaoru said as he stopped at the doorway.

"Don't worry I will."

"Good night."

"Good night." Yao watched as Kaoru closed the door and he heard both of them walking back towards their rooms before he gave a sigh and returned to the maps he had been studying.

_How much does Kiseki know? I could tell he wasn't telling me the complete truth about their reason for leaving. I'll just have to wait for him to lower his guard in order to make sure he tells me everything that I need to know… _

**Author's Note:**

Yay! New Chapter!

This chapter reveals that the first section in chapter one belonged to Kiseki.

The people of the east know that Yao has a Westener as a younger brother. That plus the clothes he was wearing and the amulet he held (one that Yao had given him) helped clarify that for them.

Will try to update this story and the others soon!


	3. The Pirate

The cloaked figure continued walking through the crowd. He didn't like to be here, but he needed to find someone who knew the information that he wanted. He hid when he heard the sound of hooves and watched as the royal carriage rolled by on its way to the port. He hoped that the others would have enough sense to hide and not catch the attention of the occupants.

After it left he continued on his way. After walking around the sea-side city he came across a bunch of tied horses that were waiting for their owners to return. After looking around to make sure no one was looking he freed one of the horses and quickly led it off. Then he quickly mounted it and rode off, heading further inland.

Once he left the city he kept passing a lot of farms and countryside. Soon he reached the outskirts of the large city that surrounded the Imperial Palace of the Emperor of the East. Keeping more of a lookout he rode through it. People would glance at him, but barely anyone paid him much attention. Upon reaching the wall of the palace he rode around it, determined to find a place where no one would notice him sneaking in.

The place he was looking for was located in the western wall. There was a willow tree located there and some of its branches went over the wall and they were almost touching the floor. Deciding it was best to take action in the night he went and found a place to reside at until it was time to take action. Eventually night came and he snuck out through the window of the room he was staying in. Quickly, before anyone caught him, he grabbed the willow's branches and used them to climb the wall. Once he reached the top he looked around.

The willow tree was located in a garden that had a large pond in it. Noticing that the pond didn't reach the wall he carefully jumped down before making his way to the palace. Hiding behind another tree he looked around to see if he spotted anyone that wasn't the guards or servants. After a while he heard the familiar sound of a horse pulled carriage and he glanced in the direction of the noise.

The royal carriage had returned, this time with one passenger onboard. The person was helped off before they spoke with the driver. Before he could move to see who it was the person turned and headed for the palace. Once the person was close enough he easily recognized them. A smirk spread across his face as he captured one of the servants that happened to pass by at that moment. After asking her where the person's room was located he knocked her out.

Then, when none of the guards were around, he quickly climbed onto the small roof separating the first and second stories. Walking across it he came across the window he was looking for. He carefully opened it and slipped inside. He had finished closing it when the door slid open and the person he was looking for came in. He had enough time to hide because the person was still talking to someone and they didn't notice him as they stepped into the room.

He watched as the person bid the other good night, closed the door and lit a candle that was set on a small table where he sat down at and began working on something. He carefully and quietly unsheathed his sword, walked up to the person, grabbed them and put his blade at their throat. To the other person's credit they didn't jump or try to scream for help. Instead they simply stopped writing.

"Who are you and what do you want from me?" The person calmly asked without turning around, and the only thing he did was put the brush down.

"Your already know who I am, so I don't see the point of introductions. And I need some information out of you, Kaoru."

"Captain Arthur Kirkland." Kaoru replied as he continued sitting in the same position in which he had been caught in. "What a surprise to know you are still alive. You were supposed to have perished when the death ships were set on fire."

"Well, it's going to take a lot more than fire to get rid of me."

"Things couldn't end up so simply, couldn't they?"

"Nay. Now to the point," Arthur pressed his blade deeper into Kaoru's throat. "I need you to answer some questions."

"What is it that you want to know?"

"First of all where are the rest of my companions that were sent on the other ships when we first arrived here?"

"They were sent to the Подсолнечник prison in the North."

"Подсолнечник?"

"Yes. That's the most infamous of Ivan's prisons. And if you are planning to rescue them it's going to be futile. For no one has escaped from there."

"That's beside the point. Now where are Kiku and Kiseki?"

"Kiseki left with Yao on the _Tenshi._ And I have no idea where Kiku is."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Kiku-nii stole the _Mary Celeste_ a month ago and used her to try to sail to the west. From what Kiseki-kun told us they were attacked but Kiseki was not caught because Kiku-nii put him in a lifeboat and casted him out to sea."

"So my ship's not here?"

"She is. She was found drifting with no crew by a merchant ship that was returning from the west. The ship managed to bring her back. She was a bit damaged from the attack, but she is fully repaired now. And the entire deck was decorated with chrysanthemums."

"Chrysanthemums?"

"Yes, that's the meaning of Kiku-nii's name. Which I can tell you had no idea what it meant."

"Where-" Arthur turned around when the sliding door unexpectedly opened and one of the guards came in. Without thinking about it he pulled out his gun and fired at the intruder.

"Looks like you are going to be caught once more captain."

"Not if the awesome me can help it!"

"Twee!"

"Gilbert! Alfred! What are you two idiots doing here?"

"We followed you." Alfred said as if Arthur should have known that already.

"We better get out of here." Gilbert said. "I can hear more of them coming."

"You three are not going anywhere." Alfred blinked as a sword was pointed at him. Gilbert and Arthur turned to see Kaoru pointing his blade at Alfred.

"Getting caught by someone like you would totally be unawesome." Gilbert said as he pulled out his gun and put it at Kaoru's head. Alfred moved and wrestled the sword out of Kaoru's hand. Arthur, in the meantime, was firing at the backup that had appeared.

"Can you two hurry up!?" he snapped as he took out his sword and continued to attack them. "I don't know if the palace guards know how to use guns!"

"Done! Let the awesome me help!" Gilbert exclaimed as he joined Arthur.

"And Alfred?"

"He left through the window already."

"Let's go then!" Arthur said as he began firing again. He went through the window first and allowed himself to fall onto the ground. He took off towards the willow tree and he glanced behind himself to see Gilbert following him.

"How did you guys enter?" Arthur asked Gilbert as they ran through the garden.

"The same way you did. Looks like Alfred's waiting for us."

"Hurry up you two!" Alfred snapped as he kept a tight grip on the person he was holding. Arthur wasn't surprised that both Gilbert and Alfred decided to kidnap Kaoru.

"Alright! Arthur you go first." Arthur nodded and quickly climbed over the wall. Gilbert followed but he stayed on top of the wall. Before Arthur could ask what he was up to Gilbert told him to catch something. Arthur moved and caught the struggling Kaoru. Almost as soon as he put Kaoru down Alfred and Gilbert hopped down.

"Don't worry we got your horse already." Alfred said as he grabbed Kaoru and semi-dragged semi-led him to where the horses were.

"Give me Kaoru." Arthur said as he grabbed his horse. Both he and Alfred hoisted Kaoru onto the saddle and tied his hands to the pommel. Then Arthur climbed in behind him and he quickly rode off with the other two in pursuit.

"Looks like we are getting chased!" Gilbert said as he looked behind himself.

"We better hurry up and get the others!" Arthur shouted as they raced through the city.

"Any plans?"

"We go to the others and we get my ship. Then we are heading north to the… the prison where Kaoru said the others are being held."

"And what are we doing about him?"

"About Kaoru? He shall remain our prisoner and he's going to help us whether he likes it or not."

"You shall regret this pirate."

"Oh, you finally speak. I thought you had gone mute from shock." Arthur said as he turned his attention to the prisoner.

"I am telling you, you shall regret your decision of interfering with my family again."

"The only thing I'll regret is not finding and talking to both Kiseki and Kiku. I am not afraid of your eldest brother or his consort."

"Then you better be ready for the consequences, pirate. My brother is not the type to punish lightly."

"Don't worry I know what I am getting myself into."

"As I said, you better be prepared pirate. Or you and your companions will lose their lives for real."

**Author's Note:**

So here's Chapter 3! And this one reveals that the second part of Chapter 1 belongs to Arthur and his companions.

Things are getting interesting! Chapter 4 will be posted soon!


	4. The Escapee

He continued heading east as he walked down the road that led through the forest. He had no idea for how long he had been walking, only that it felt like an eternity. He had stopped and rested during the night up on the treetops. He kept a lookout to make sure that no one spotted him. He had no idea on how intense his captors were of recapturing him, but after the severe damage he had done to their captain he knew that recapture was not the best option at this time.

He continued walking, following the road. He was worried, but not at getting caught. He was worried about the young boy he had raised for ten years. He hoped that Peter had made it back safely to the palace. Sighing, he took out the amulet that belonged to Peter. The rage he had felt when he had seen the enemy wear it had led to his escape into this unknown part of the west.

That was the problem. He had absolutely no idea where he was. All he knew was that if he continued walking east he will eventually reach the ocean. And maybe, by then, he could find someone that would tell him where he was. From there he had several options; the first would be to send a message to his brother, or he could sneak aboard a ship that was headed for the east or find someone that would grant him voyage across the ocean.

As he neared the end of the immense forest he started to hear the sound of seagulls and he looked up to see a couple of them circling above. Once he reached the break of the trees he peeked out. The forest rested atop higher ground than the large crowded city that lay at its feet. From this high position he could see the outermost limits of the city… the sea,

_At last I have reached my dearest friend._ He thought as he made his way into the city. _This place looks familiar. Something tells me I have been here before. _People would glance at him, but they paid him no attention. Some of the vendors did try to get his attention but he ignored them. For he was in a hurry to reunite with his friend.

"Umi-san, it has been a while." Kiku murmured as he stood there in the water. It had taken him a while to find a place where there was a beach to rest at, without the usual crowds that tended to gather at seaports. He ignored the sting of the salty water on the wounds of his legs and feet. Then, reluctantly, he got out of the water and began to look around as he walked into the docking area for the ships.

_This place IS familiar! _He thought as he began to recognize the shops that were near the docks. He had docked here himself a couple of times. The first time was with Yao, then with Im Yong Soo, and the last couple of times was by himself or accompanied by Sakura. Now he knew exactly where he was, the problem was going to be finding a way to get home.

He wandered into the huge crowd of people, trying to see if by any chance he could find someone who he knew. The port and the coastal city were one of the biggest ones of the West. Foreigners were a common sight here, so not many people paid him much attention. He was trying to remember all the people that he believed would help him make the journey across the ocean in order to reunite with Yao and the others.

Kiku worried about Peter, but he knew that the sea would take care of him and possibly have taken him back home to Yao. Yao… he would have probably found out a lot more than what Kiku wanted him to know. But he still had allies, and he knew that they wouldn't desert him. He was going to have to play his cards carefully once he got back home. Kiku already knew Yao was suspicious about something, and he feared he knew what Yao was beginning to suspect.

He was playing a very dangerous game and he knew it. He also knew he was putting everyone else who was playing the game along with him in grave danger. But he knew Yao would never suspect of one of them. That person, Kiku knew, would play his cards better than most of the other players. That player, his trump card, would be the key to ensuring the winning side. The rest of them… he was going to have to hope that they knew what they were doing.

_It is finally time for everything to start being revealed, but will I be able to cope with how things end?_

He caught a strange movement out of the corner of his eye. Without making it obvious he glanced to see what had happened.

_Great, how did they find me?_

He continued walking without making it obvious that he knew he was being followed. Despite the crowd of people he knew they wouldn't hesitate to attack him when they believed they would have the greatest chance of capturing him. He just had to make sure he didn't give them that chance plus he had to find a way to escape from them.

Spotting a large crowd of people he managed to slip in as he quickened his pace. He could fight them, but it wouldn't be a good idea to not only attract unwanted attention but also putting other people in danger of his former captors. He quickly slipped out of the crowd and hid behind a tall pile of boxes and barrels that were in an alleyway. He peeked out from behind the pile to see that they were now asking for him plus inspecting all of the stores and outside shops.

A hand suddenly covered his mouth as someone grabbed him from behind.

"Hush, or they'll notice you're here." At the same time that the person spoke they lifted a gun and pointed it in the direction of his former captors. Kiku's eyes landed back on them as the person continued to hold him. The boxes and barrels protected them from being seen, but the person would have no trouble shooting at them if the need to arose.

When his former captors realized that he had escaped them somehow they quickly left in order to see if he escaped to another section of the city.

"Let's get you out of here before they decide to come and look for you here." The person said as they lowered their gun and let him go. "I don't understand what you are doing here or why they are following you, but you can explain everything to me once we get you to safety."

"Danke… Vash."

**Author's Note:**

Sorry for not updating this in a while! Inspiration is returning plus spring semester is over!

This chapter reveals that the last part of Chapter 1 was Kiku.

Wonder who the 'trump card' is?

Reviews are appreciated!


	5. El Triunfo

"Can't believe we got out of there alive." Francis said with a sigh as _El Triunfo_ sailed North with the _Mary Celeste_ on tow.

"That was a fun battle though." Antonio said as he sat down next to Francis.

"I guess…" Francis glanced across the table to where Arthur and Gilbert were both studying a map. It was clear they were arguing about the best route for them to go. Both Antonio and Francis watched as Gilbert kept pointing at one of the routes of the map while Arthur kept pointing at another.

"They aren't going to reach a compromise anytime soon." Antonio said with a sigh. "You two want any help?"

"No." Both Arthur and Gilbert said without looking up. Gilbird was on Gilbert's shoulder as those two continued to argue.

"Let me see!" Francis reached out and took the map away as he and Antonio began to inspect it. Then those two added two more routes to the map.

"How is that helping the situation?" Arthur asked as he and Gilbert stared at the new added routes.

"Maybe that way you two will have more options to look at so you can decide which sea and land route we have to take." Antonio replied as he stared at the map.

"Oui." Before either Gilbert or Arthur could reply, the door to the cabin burst open. All four turned towards the door to see Kaoru standing there. Kaoru calmly stepped into the room as Alfred and Matthew ran in after him.

"We're sorry Arthur," Matthew said as those two stood there trying to catch their breath. "But he somehow unshackled himself and got out of his cell." Then Kaoru walked over and sat down at the spare chair that was next to the table.

"What is it Kaoru?"

"I am here to give you my assistance, pirate." Kaoru calmly replied as he looked at Arthur. "Let me see that map." Antonio passed the map to him and Kaoru calmly studied it before putting it down took one of the pens, dipped it into a different color ink and began tracing.

"The best sea route to take will be this one because Ivan has little to no protection in this area. He would never expect for enemies to come through here. You might still wish to remain alert for there are usually one or two ships that he uses for a lookout here. We'll dock here for this area is hidden in shadow from the nearby cliffs and rock overpass. Your ships will not be detected. By land it is best to go through here, for there are barely any cities along the way, and it is best to not gain any attention. We will have to walk until this point, someone owes me a favor there and they wouldn't mind giving us faster transportation to use. Then we'll take this route since it is the fastest route over there. We won't have to worry about encountering any other people. The weather here is unforgiving and not many people live here. So from this town onward there is nothing but wilderness until we reach the prison. You might also wish to stock up on winter clothing, it might still be the end of summer but the temperature is already dropping fast." As he finished speaking he pushed the map towards the center of the table so that the others could inspect it.

"Kesesese! I knew it was a good idea to go to that town!"

"Twee!"

"…"

"When are we going to ever prove him wrong?" Arthur murmured as he studied the map.

"Never, I guess." Francis said with a smile.

"Anyway, why are you helping us Kaoru? You seemed so determined to not help us before."

"Si, how do we know you are not leading us into a trap?"

"For the last couple of days I have been deep in thought of what I should do in the predicament that I have found myself in. And I have decided that it would be in my best interests to help you. As for the trap, what would I gain?" Kaoru's eyes landed on Antonio. "Nothing, whether you lose or win the battle."

"If helping you get your crew means finding my brother then I should help. I don't know what my brother sees in you pirate." Kaoru said as his gaze landed on Arthur. "But I am sure both Kiku-nii and Peter-kun will be glad to know you are still alive."

"You know-"

"Yes, Kiku-nii confided in me with that secret after the first time we met you pirate. I clearly noticed the similarities between the two of you. Sensei probably didn't because of all the problems that were going on at the time. But I asked him about it and I vowed to not reveal it to anyone when he told me the truth."

"So that child, Kiseki, really is our younger brother Peter?" Alfred asked as he and Matthew looked at one another.

"He is. Kiku-nii showed me the amulet that belonged to Peter's mother. Whether he has given it to him or not, I do not know. To be honest, there are a lot of things that I do not know about what's happening and what has happened. For instance, how come you are still alive pirate?"

"I don't know. One minute I'm in a ship that was set on fire, and the next I'm blindfolded and dumped into a lifeboat before it was lowered into the sea."

"I'm assuming the reason why those two are alive as well is because they were also rescued in a similar fashion, no?"

"We were, but-"

"We didn't see who saved us either. All we saw was the person's-"

"Silhouette, and there wasn't much information-"

"We could get out of that. All we saw was that-"

"The person was shorter, but stronger than us."

"They left bruises on my arm that took a couple of days to heal." Alfred said as Matthew nodded next to him.

"I had some too, and they also took a while to heal."

"Alfred, Matthew, go and prepare the spare room that this three have on this ship and prepare it for Kaoru."

"Aye aye captain!" The twins said before they left the room. Kaoru was just looking at the map with a neutral expression. Gilbert was busy writing something in his journal as Gilbird flew back to his head. The other three began arguing over who was going, and what they should bring along for the trip to Подсолнечник.

**Author's** **Note:**

Yay! Another update! Things will start getting interesting!

**Подсолнечник:** Sunflower (ironic name for a prison, no?)

_**El**__**Triunfo:**_ _The Triumph_ -This is the ship of the BTT.

Reviews are appreciated!


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